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Love Beyond Boundaries #1
The Evolution of Love
When a charming but misguided account manager gets stuck on a cruise to the Galapagos Islands with his hunky zoologist ex, he might rediscover his true passion—in and out of the bedroom.
After art school, Mike Davis gave up on his dream in favor of a stable job. But when he gets an opportunity to teach wealthy travelers how to paint stunning sunsets, it seems like the perfect break. Until he finds out he’ll be sharing a suite with his ex, charismatic Benton Aldridge—a British scientist cuter than the baby animals he studies. Mike makes it clear he has no intention of getting back together with Benton, but sharing a suite makes it almost impossible keep his distance.
As they climb over volcanic peaks and swim with manatees through sparkling jade-colored water, can they also heal past wounds and take the next step in the evolution of love?
World of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the globe.
After art school, Mike Davis gave up on his dream in favor of a stable job. But when he gets an opportunity to teach wealthy travelers how to paint stunning sunsets, it seems like the perfect break. Until he finds out he’ll be sharing a suite with his ex, charismatic Benton Aldridge—a British scientist cuter than the baby animals he studies. Mike makes it clear he has no intention of getting back together with Benton, but sharing a suite makes it almost impossible keep his distance.
As they climb over volcanic peaks and swim with manatees through sparkling jade-colored water, can they also heal past wounds and take the next step in the evolution of love?
World of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the globe.
109 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 4, 2020
8 people are currently reading
290 people want to read
About the author
Philip William Stover
10 books145 followersPhilip William Stover splits his time between Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and New York City. He has an MFA in writing and is a clinical professor at New York University.
As a freelance journalist, his essays and reviews have appeared in Newsday, the Forward, the Tony Awards, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Houston Chronicle, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and other national publications. For many years he ghosted for an international best-selling women’s fiction author. He has published multiple middle-grade novels for Simon & Schuster and was the American Theater critic for About.com.
He grew up tearing the covers off the romance novels he devoured so he wouldn’t get teased at school. Now he enjoys traveling the world with his husband of over twenty years and would never consider defacing any of the books he loves.
He can be found on social media as Philip William Stover.
Adult fiction:
https://www.philipwilliamstover.com
Middle-grade fiction:
http://www.tweenink.com
As a freelance journalist, his essays and reviews have appeared in Newsday, the Forward, the Tony Awards, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Houston Chronicle, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and other national publications. For many years he ghosted for an international best-selling women’s fiction author. He has published multiple middle-grade novels for Simon & Schuster and was the American Theater critic for About.com.
He grew up tearing the covers off the romance novels he devoured so he wouldn’t get teased at school. Now he enjoys traveling the world with his husband of over twenty years and would never consider defacing any of the books he loves.
He can be found on social media as Philip William Stover.
Adult fiction:
https://www.philipwilliamstover.com
Middle-grade fiction:
http://www.tweenink.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
August 2, 2025
This novella had the potential to be good, but sadly, it was lacking in almost every regard 😔 I enjoyed the author's writing style but not a lot else. The characters weren't particularly likable, the book tried to be funny but wasn't, had one of the dumbest miscommunication tropes ever, and made me have to hear Cooper North say the word "Biddle" a stupid amount of times 🫠
One of the most annoying aspects of the book was that the MCs never actually hooked up on page AFTER it was teased. I'm totally fine if nothing is going to happen on page, but every time I turned around Mike was talking about the size of Benton's junk 🙄 The man almost went full-on soliloquy talking about it. Also, they *almost* hooked up, were interrupted, and just never got back to it 🤷🏼♀️ That's a surefire way too aggravate a person reading a romance 🤣
I listened to the audiobook and even that was a bit disappointing. I normally love Cooper North, but the man cannot do a believable British accent 🥲 I'm probably a pretty low bar for the assessment since I'm just going by what sounds nice to my ear and not any sort of technically correct measure. I'm sure someone from England would cry a bit 😂
Unfortunately, I don't recommend the audio and the book was meh at best. Best to pass on this one. There are much more satisfying novellas out there.
One of the most annoying aspects of the book was that the MCs never actually hooked up on page AFTER it was teased. I'm totally fine if nothing is going to happen on page, but every time I turned around Mike was talking about the size of Benton's junk 🙄 The man almost went full-on soliloquy talking about it. Also, they *almost* hooked up, were interrupted, and just never got back to it 🤷🏼♀️ That's a surefire way too aggravate a person reading a romance 🤣
I listened to the audiobook and even that was a bit disappointing. I normally love Cooper North, but the man cannot do a believable British accent 🥲 I'm probably a pretty low bar for the assessment since I'm just going by what sounds nice to my ear and not any sort of technically correct measure. I'm sure someone from England would cry a bit 😂
Unfortunately, I don't recommend the audio and the book was meh at best. Best to pass on this one. There are much more satisfying novellas out there.
July 3, 2021
This is an enjoyable romance with second chance and forced proximity tropes. I love the Galapagos setting, the author clearly loves it and has an extensive knowledge about the flora and fauna of the place. I enjoy stories about the rare species that uniquely inherent to the islands.
The love story, however, feels a bit formulaic to me. A bit tropey, I must say. Part of the plot resorts to misunderstandings to proceed, and accident to resolve, which I'm also not fond of.
But overall this is a nice read to bring on travels or to survive the lockdown.
The love story, however, feels a bit formulaic to me. A bit tropey, I must say. Part of the plot resorts to misunderstandings to proceed, and accident to resolve, which I'm also not fond of.
But overall this is a nice read to bring on travels or to survive the lockdown.
September 29, 2020
It's always a magical thing when you discover an author that just totally clicks with you. This book was super charming. I loved reading every minute of it. The writing was great, the characters were great, the plot perfectly toed the line and didn't topple over into the land of cheese that so many romcoms tend to do. I'm really looking forward to more from this series and more from this author.
January 28, 2021
There are three characteristics of every Philip William Stover novel that I’ve come to rely on: (1) wonderfully developed compelling characters; (2) actual plots; and (3) exotic locales that immediately reinforce my desire to be able to travel again.
Set briefly in San Diego, ‘There Galapagos My Heart’ rapidly moves to Quito Ecuador’s Old Town,
and then on the the fictional San Isabella III, a small luxury Galápagos Islands cruise ship, that I’ve chosen to think would look like the actual Isabella II. 
The protagonists and other passengers on the San Isabella III then dock at various Galápagos Islands ports~
to discover the many examples of wildlife that can only be seen on the islands of this Ecuadorian volcanic archipelago in the Pacific. 
Do note the Blue-footed booby (center and upper left photos) and the Frigate bird (upper right). Both birds play important roles in this story.
Stover’s novels range from those addressing truly serious topics to his delightful rom-coms. While ‘There Galapagos My Heart’ falls primarily into the latter category, it’s no less enjoyable or thought provoking than any of his other works.
When Penny, an experienced travel guide for wealthy adventurers, agrees to lead a Galápagos Islands tour on the San Isabella III, she enlists two very special men to join her on the cruise staff.
Penny is Mike’s aunt and his best friend. As the novel begins, Mike Davis is an overworked and under-appreciated corporate account manager in San Diego. Prior to this job he had been a gifted, promising young artist. Penny persuades Mike to use some of his vacation time to teach watercolor painting classes on the cruise. Unbeknown to Mike, however, she also invites his ex, Benton Aldridge, to lead the wildlife tours on this same cruise. Benton personifies the term ‘a real hunk’ who is admired by men and women alike. Professionally he’s an accomplished zoologist.
From the very beginning, it’s clear how this novel will end - but - getting there, and experiencing the many wonderful unexpected twists that occur along the way is tremendous fun.
Set briefly in San Diego, ‘There Galapagos My Heart’ rapidly moves to Quito Ecuador’s Old Town,
and then on the the fictional San Isabella III, a small luxury Galápagos Islands cruise ship, that I’ve chosen to think would look like the actual Isabella II. The protagonists and other passengers on the San Isabella III then dock at various Galápagos Islands ports~
to discover the many examples of wildlife that can only be seen on the islands of this Ecuadorian volcanic archipelago in the Pacific. Do note the Blue-footed booby (center and upper left photos) and the Frigate bird (upper right). Both birds play important roles in this story.Stover’s novels range from those addressing truly serious topics to his delightful rom-coms. While ‘There Galapagos My Heart’ falls primarily into the latter category, it’s no less enjoyable or thought provoking than any of his other works.
When Penny, an experienced travel guide for wealthy adventurers, agrees to lead a Galápagos Islands tour on the San Isabella III, she enlists two very special men to join her on the cruise staff.
Penny is Mike’s aunt and his best friend. As the novel begins, Mike Davis is an overworked and under-appreciated corporate account manager in San Diego. Prior to this job he had been a gifted, promising young artist. Penny persuades Mike to use some of his vacation time to teach watercolor painting classes on the cruise. Unbeknown to Mike, however, she also invites his ex, Benton Aldridge, to lead the wildlife tours on this same cruise. Benton personifies the term ‘a real hunk’ who is admired by men and women alike. Professionally he’s an accomplished zoologist.
From the very beginning, it’s clear how this novel will end - but - getting there, and experiencing the many wonderful unexpected twists that occur along the way is tremendous fun.
October 7, 2019
A Joyfully Jay review.
3 stars
Michael has always been the responsible one. The dutiful one. When his father walked out so he could follow his dreams as a musician — leaving Michael’s mother to pay the pills, work like a dog to keep the roof over her head, and raise three kids with no help at all from him — Michael did his best to help. Now he’s the one working like a dog to help support his family, pay his own rent, and pay off the student loans nipping at his heels. It’s not a job he particularly likes, but he’s recently been promoted, and that promotion comes with a nice bump in pay that will go a long way to making everyone’s life easier.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
3 stars
Michael has always been the responsible one. The dutiful one. When his father walked out so he could follow his dreams as a musician — leaving Michael’s mother to pay the pills, work like a dog to keep the roof over her head, and raise three kids with no help at all from him — Michael did his best to help. Now he’s the one working like a dog to help support his family, pay his own rent, and pay off the student loans nipping at his heels. It’s not a job he particularly likes, but he’s recently been promoted, and that promotion comes with a nice bump in pay that will go a long way to making everyone’s life easier.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
September 19, 2019
I'm unfamiliar with Philip William Stover, but he is now firmly on my "Must Read" list. I read this book in one sitting (in the dead of night because I couldn't put it down) and adore the flow of the author's writing style that just draws you into the story.
Mike is a talented artist but pays the bills with a stressful job as an account manager for a communications company. Mike's Aunt Penny (formerly his uncle Paul) is leading a luxury cruise tour to the Galapagos Island and wrangles Mike into teaching watercolor classes. And surprise, surprise ... Mike's ex, Benton, is also on board as a wildlife lecturer during the cruise.
Benton is basically a well-endowed Disney Prince with a killer British accent and "a jawline so defined you could use it as a ruler." Benton and Mike have chemistry to spare but their view of life is a bit different:
I received an ARC from Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review.
Review posted at Gay Book Reviews - check it out!
Mike is a talented artist but pays the bills with a stressful job as an account manager for a communications company. Mike's Aunt Penny (formerly his uncle Paul) is leading a luxury cruise tour to the Galapagos Island and wrangles Mike into teaching watercolor classes. And surprise, surprise ... Mike's ex, Benton, is also on board as a wildlife lecturer during the cruise.
Benton is basically a well-endowed Disney Prince with a killer British accent and "a jawline so defined you could use it as a ruler." Benton and Mike have chemistry to spare but their view of life is a bit different:
He had this happy, well-adjusted attitude that, at first, I found quite charming, but eventually it became infuriating. He never understood why I stressed about work or why I worried about getting a promotion. He believed good things were always waiting to happen. I believe that you brace yourself for the worst at all times and wait in the cellar until the tornado passes while eating expired cans of fruit cocktail.What follows is a playful romp through some typical romance novels scenarios but the author makes them fresh and fun, although I could have done without the weird subplot involving a mysterious telegram. And for a novella that doesn't have a lot of on-page sex, the sexual tension here is fully ramped up and makes for a very enjoyable read! In closing, let me share my favorite sentences from the story:
Since Benton left I have hooked up with a grand total of two guys. I met a guy on an app who gave a blowjob so bad it was like he thought he was eating an ear of corn.5 stars and Happy reading!
I received an ARC from Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review.
Review posted at Gay Book Reviews - check it out!
August 16, 2023
Dnf 50%
Another queer romance book where the author seems to hate their protagonist. The lack of boundaries that the people around the protag had was astounding. Everyone kept telling him how to live his life and never listening to him and his ex was a piece of shit. Clearly manipulative.
It’s a short book so you could speed by it but eh, waste of time for me.
Another queer romance book where the author seems to hate their protagonist. The lack of boundaries that the people around the protag had was astounding. Everyone kept telling him how to live his life and never listening to him and his ex was a piece of shit. Clearly manipulative.
It’s a short book so you could speed by it but eh, waste of time for me.
October 27, 2025
Philip William Stover's There Galapagos My Heart is a cute "second chance" romance. Of course, this is one of those stories with tons of miscommunication issues where if they'd just talked to each other from the start all these problems could have been avoided lol.
The audio version of There Galapagos My Heart is nicely performed by Cooper North.
The audio version of There Galapagos My Heart is nicely performed by Cooper North.
October 31, 2024
Michael was trapped in a soul-sucking job, where he stayed because of the stability it offered. But his commitment to his job cost him his relationship with Benton. When he agreed to help his aunt by teaching a water colors class aboard a cruise to the Galapagos, the last person he expected to see on board is his ex, who was there to serve as wildlife expert for the cruise. As they were continually pushed together, Micheal decided he going to try to win back Benton. But to do so will require him to face some truths about what his life’s become.
This was a very cute romcom, that features a sweet second chance romance and some fun forced proximity. For a novella, the characters were well fleshed out and I was really rooting for Michael and Benton! I listened to the audio and it a was a quick listen at just over 4hrs. I bought it because it was on sale and Cooper North was the narrator and I love him. He did a great job, as usual. He even does a British accent here, which was a nice treat!
This was a very cute romcom, that features a sweet second chance romance and some fun forced proximity. For a novella, the characters were well fleshed out and I was really rooting for Michael and Benton! I listened to the audio and it a was a quick listen at just over 4hrs. I bought it because it was on sale and Cooper North was the narrator and I love him. He did a great job, as usual. He even does a British accent here, which was a nice treat!
January 12, 2024
No doubt there were many appealing aspects to this book. The well-defined setting, the descriptive, engaging writing, Penny. But there was also lots of frustration in the mix that prevented me from completely enjoying it. Benton was too much of a pushy jerk in regards to Mikes’s career. I appreciated that he wanted to help Mike but his efforts came across as obtrusive and unsympathetic. Mike himself was such a hot mess. His dishonesty was appalling and his inability to manage his work life was exasperating. The situation with the telegram was particularly annoying--that Mike opened it, that he so insanely jumped to the wrong conclusion, that he didn’t come clean to Benton about it. Everything about it had me grinding my teeth. Lastly, the ending felt hella abrupt. In general, though, the story held my attention and made me laugh out loud a few times, which given my spate of DNFs lately, is more than enough to merit three stars.
January 8, 2023
Second chance romcom on a trip to the Galapagos Islands. It was a fairly quick read with both humor and some angst, but while I enjoy "learn to follow your passion" stories (especially with an artistic slant), the funny parts didn't always work for me and instead made me mildly dislike both MCs at different moments.
February 10, 2026
Would you please give it a proper burial at sea?” “A burial at sea?” she asks. “Yes. It’s official. The death of my relationship.” I push the door to exit the crew area but turn back before I am through it. “Oh, and play something sweet by Celine Dion. It would have liked that.”
October 7, 2020
Lots of nonsense here but still enjoyable.
February 21, 2025
Mike really is the biggest push over. I was enraged on his behalf because of all the emails and phone calls from his boss and colleagues. I really didn't get how long it took for him to pull his head out of his ass. Luckily Benton never really give up on him, although he might not have gone over it the right way...
February 24, 2021
I disliked everything about this book.
November 25, 2019
This appears to be the debut novel(la) from this author, and it was an excellent first effort. I quite enjoyed reading this book, and the author managed to cram a bunch of character growth into this shortish book.
But let's start at the beginning...
Mike Davis had to give up on his dream in art school to support his family, obtaining a stable job as an account manager for a somewhat horrible boss/company owner. He hates his job, but it sure pays the bills, his family's bills, and the student loans that still plague him. And even though he hates the job and his demanding boss, he accepts a promotion, with the new job starting after a vacation he's long planned to take.
His aunt Penny (fka as his uncle Paul) organizes cruises for wealthy people, and she ropes Mike into being the art director/teacher on this cruise to the Galapagos archipelago, where he's supposed to teach a watercolor class to the rich tourists on the cruise.
Unbeknownst to Mike, his former boyfriend/love of his life Benton Aldridge, a scientist/nature lover, is the hired wildlife lecturer for the cruise. He's British, super hot (Mike waxes poetically about Benton's jawline), and Mike hates him so much for never being supportive when Mike was stressing out over bills and his job. Which was ultimately the reason they broke up.
Aunt Penny conveniently forgot to tell Mike that Benton would be on the cruise, and she definitely forgot to tell Mike that he'll have to share a cabin with Benton in the cramped staff quarters.
I quite enjoyed following Mike and Benton through snarling at each other, through the push and pull of forging a new relationship, through burning up the sheets, and through finding that the love they shared hasn't burned out, and that there's a very thin line between love and hate. Obviously, it's not smooth sailing, because Mike still has the job he hates, and he's not entirely truthful with Benton about that part, and... nah, you should read this for yourself.
I didn't really like nor understand the subplot with the mysterious message from the telegram that Mike accidentally on purpose intercepts, and while I understood the author's reasoning for including that plot point, I thought it might have been a bit clumsy and put Benton in a light he didn't deserve.
Overall, an excellent little novella that not only managed to pull of fully fleshed out characters, with a believable background story, but also included some delicious snark and humor, some angst, and some long overdue character growth. Well done, Philip William Stover. I can't wait to see your sophomore book.
** I received a free copy of this book from its publisher in exchange for an honest review. **
But let's start at the beginning...
Mike Davis had to give up on his dream in art school to support his family, obtaining a stable job as an account manager for a somewhat horrible boss/company owner. He hates his job, but it sure pays the bills, his family's bills, and the student loans that still plague him. And even though he hates the job and his demanding boss, he accepts a promotion, with the new job starting after a vacation he's long planned to take.
His aunt Penny (fka as his uncle Paul) organizes cruises for wealthy people, and she ropes Mike into being the art director/teacher on this cruise to the Galapagos archipelago, where he's supposed to teach a watercolor class to the rich tourists on the cruise.
Unbeknownst to Mike, his former boyfriend/love of his life Benton Aldridge, a scientist/nature lover, is the hired wildlife lecturer for the cruise. He's British, super hot (Mike waxes poetically about Benton's jawline), and Mike hates him so much for never being supportive when Mike was stressing out over bills and his job. Which was ultimately the reason they broke up.
Aunt Penny conveniently forgot to tell Mike that Benton would be on the cruise, and she definitely forgot to tell Mike that he'll have to share a cabin with Benton in the cramped staff quarters.
I quite enjoyed following Mike and Benton through snarling at each other, through the push and pull of forging a new relationship, through burning up the sheets, and through finding that the love they shared hasn't burned out, and that there's a very thin line between love and hate. Obviously, it's not smooth sailing, because Mike still has the job he hates, and he's not entirely truthful with Benton about that part, and... nah, you should read this for yourself.
I didn't really like nor understand the subplot with the mysterious message from the telegram that Mike accidentally on purpose intercepts, and while I understood the author's reasoning for including that plot point, I thought it might have been a bit clumsy and put Benton in a light he didn't deserve.
Overall, an excellent little novella that not only managed to pull of fully fleshed out characters, with a believable background story, but also included some delicious snark and humor, some angst, and some long overdue character growth. Well done, Philip William Stover. I can't wait to see your sophomore book.
** I received a free copy of this book from its publisher in exchange for an honest review. **
January 23, 2024
A cute enough little gay romp. Very dirty talking, however didn’t follow through on the smut as much as I would like. However, packs a lot of punch for such a short book. I thinking the “former lover” trope is always a good choice for a novella! Throws us right in with a pre developed relationship. And as someone who just visited the Galapagos, LOVED THE DETAIL. Felt like I was there ❤️❤️
September 8, 2019
3.5 stars - I was given a copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
This is a sweet, gentle romance. With most of the story taking place on a genteel cruise ship, the book feels like something from a more gracious time and place. Think Agatha Christie without the murders.
This story is told from Mike’s POV. An artist who has shelved his dreams for corporate job security, he is gently coerced into teaching art classes on a cruise. What he doesn’t know is that his ex boyfriend will be the cruise’s resident wildlife expert. The Mike we meet at the start is a little grey, a little bland and he seems to be lacking a personality. In contrast, Benton is all charm and charisma - and he fulfils every stereotype Americans seem to have of Brits.
I really enjoyed Mike’s journey and the way he grows into himself in this book. However, I still have a few reservations about Benton. I had to roll my eyes at most of Benton’s ‘British’ affectations and more importantly, I really hated his controlling streak. Surely if he truly loved Mike, he’d attempt to understand Mike’s very valid reasons for choosing a secure job? He isn’t all bad though, and by the end of the story, Benton’s charm (and a few other attributes) did finally win my admiration. This is a dignified low heat read and although Mike and Benton are supposed to be quite young characters, their voices feel formal and quite dated at times. Neither character feels like a believable Millennial and they didn’t quite come to life for me in this story.
While I enjoyed the story, I didn’t always enjoy the writing style. A good edit would have tightened both the pacing and the story arc - as it is, I quickly grew weary of the many passages itemising the mundane details of Mike’s life. Sadly, I’m concerned that the lack of effective editing is becoming a trend with recent Dreamspinner releases.
This is a sweet, gentle romance. With most of the story taking place on a genteel cruise ship, the book feels like something from a more gracious time and place. Think Agatha Christie without the murders.
This story is told from Mike’s POV. An artist who has shelved his dreams for corporate job security, he is gently coerced into teaching art classes on a cruise. What he doesn’t know is that his ex boyfriend will be the cruise’s resident wildlife expert. The Mike we meet at the start is a little grey, a little bland and he seems to be lacking a personality. In contrast, Benton is all charm and charisma - and he fulfils every stereotype Americans seem to have of Brits.
I really enjoyed Mike’s journey and the way he grows into himself in this book. However, I still have a few reservations about Benton. I had to roll my eyes at most of Benton’s ‘British’ affectations and more importantly, I really hated his controlling streak. Surely if he truly loved Mike, he’d attempt to understand Mike’s very valid reasons for choosing a secure job? He isn’t all bad though, and by the end of the story, Benton’s charm (and a few other attributes) did finally win my admiration. This is a dignified low heat read and although Mike and Benton are supposed to be quite young characters, their voices feel formal and quite dated at times. Neither character feels like a believable Millennial and they didn’t quite come to life for me in this story.
While I enjoyed the story, I didn’t always enjoy the writing style. A good edit would have tightened both the pacing and the story arc - as it is, I quickly grew weary of the many passages itemising the mundane details of Mike’s life. Sadly, I’m concerned that the lack of effective editing is becoming a trend with recent Dreamspinner releases.
April 29, 2020
This was a lovely story of Mike and Benton. I love how we see the world of Mike in first person POV as he is coaxed into going on a trip, running into his ex, and comforting bewildering, sometimes confused feelings about Benton. I loved the scene close to the end when a secret is revealed about a telegram. This was a great, feel-good, second chances type of story.
July 29, 2025
Mike, a thwarted artist, is hired by his aunt to work a Galapagos cruise as an art instructor. Benton, a British zoologist and Mike’s ex, is hired by that same aunt to work that same cruise as a naturalist guide. Also, oops!, she has assigned them the same cabin on the ship.
Ok so…the title, as my Gen Z children would say, is straight fire. I always enjoy a second-chance romance trope AND a forced-proximity trope AND a one-bed trope. So, what didn’t work for me in this romance?
Benton is the literal worst. I have no idea why Mike is into him. He nags and mocks Mike constantly for his career choices. It is the height of unrealism that a British zoologist would be permitted to work as a naturalist in Galapagos. Ecuador is not kidding around with who they allow on those islands, and the naturalists are ALWAYS Galapagos citizens, full stop. And please explain to me why the sex scenes are so so so icky…without there being an actual sex scene in the entire book. I would say read it to see what I mean, but I’m afraid I can’t recommend this to anyone.
I did like the descriptions of Quito at the very beginning of the novel.
Ok so…the title, as my Gen Z children would say, is straight fire. I always enjoy a second-chance romance trope AND a forced-proximity trope AND a one-bed trope. So, what didn’t work for me in this romance?
Benton is the literal worst. I have no idea why Mike is into him. He nags and mocks Mike constantly for his career choices. It is the height of unrealism that a British zoologist would be permitted to work as a naturalist in Galapagos. Ecuador is not kidding around with who they allow on those islands, and the naturalists are ALWAYS Galapagos citizens, full stop. And please explain to me why the sex scenes are so so so icky…without there being an actual sex scene in the entire book. I would say read it to see what I mean, but I’m afraid I can’t recommend this to anyone.
I did like the descriptions of Quito at the very beginning of the novel.
July 29, 2021
1.5-2 stars
This did not work for me at all. I was promised a rom com and I can't find a single scene in the book where I laughed. Mike is such a boring character and Benton? Does he have a personality? I wouldn't know since Mike and Benton don't talk to each other for most of the book and when they do, there is absolutely no spark.
I chose this book because it's shortlisted for the Vivian Awards 2021 and it's one of the very few gay romances on the list. However, I am so disappointed. With the crazy amount of gay romances out there, I feel like this does not really represent what a "A flirty, cozy gay romcom, with all the feels" is.
:(
This did not work for me at all. I was promised a rom com and I can't find a single scene in the book where I laughed. Mike is such a boring character and Benton? Does he have a personality? I wouldn't know since Mike and Benton don't talk to each other for most of the book and when they do, there is absolutely no spark.
I chose this book because it's shortlisted for the Vivian Awards 2021 and it's one of the very few gay romances on the list. However, I am so disappointed. With the crazy amount of gay romances out there, I feel like this does not really represent what a "A flirty, cozy gay romcom, with all the feels" is.
:(
March 11, 2020
I'll admit up front...I don't like second chance stories that are within a year or two of break-up. So, there's that. Plus, there's a serious timeline mistake...so easily solved, but alas, MC sprints to bed after the pre-dinner talk. (Easy solutions. ..it's a post-dinner talk, MC says I'm not hungry, MC sprints to bed after picking at dinner.) Third, there's the ridiculous dialogue and over the top metaphors. Lastly, there's the lying and justifying that do not say loving, healthy relationship. 2.5 stars because I didn't throw my tablet across the room.
May 26, 2020
I quite liked this, actually. Well written, it flowed nicely, making it a pleasant read. Good quality work. What stood out for me, though, was that I actually found the humour funny. Usually I find romantic comedy just misses my mark - I can tell what it’s aiming at for but it doesn’t connect with me. This time I had plenty to chuckle over; very refreshing indeed.
November 5, 2024
I gave this one star for the narrator. I didn’t find this story fun or romantic, the MC was too whiny and a door mat. Why he put his ex on such a pedestal, well he’s a door mat. I did finish, only because I wanted to see if anything changed and how the author would end it, but I hit the skip button a lot on the last two hours of the book, a lot.
October 6, 2023
I absolutely hated the main character from start to finish and the romance felt forced at best
September 5, 2023
An artist who has let himself get swept into a shitty office job finds himself back on a luxury cruise to the Galapagos Islands to teach a watercolor class as a favor to the Tour Coordinator. He didn't expect his ex, a zoologist with a passion for Darwin's finches and exotic wildlife, to be the other event lead onboard.
He also didn't expect to have to share a bed with his hot, hairy, British, Ex!
Can this pair learn to let their hearts soar like a bird again or will they be sitting ducks in the water?
Stover does a fantastic job of not only laying the reader close to the burn which is very justifiable in this fast-pace book. He also adds laugh-out loud fantastic humor in the form of our protagonists' snark. He does a great job with his characters, though our protagonist is a bit more non-descript than the rest of the cast. He does make sure that the readers understand his themes and metaphors before continuing on (which I appreciate), but it never weighs the story down.
This is one of those fun fast, mildly sexy, romances of finding yourself and maybe finding love again. Perfect read for a day at the beach...or on a cruise ship pool deck.
He also didn't expect to have to share a bed with his hot, hairy, British, Ex!
Can this pair learn to let their hearts soar like a bird again or will they be sitting ducks in the water?
Stover does a fantastic job of not only laying the reader close to the burn which is very justifiable in this fast-pace book. He also adds laugh-out loud fantastic humor in the form of our protagonists' snark. He does a great job with his characters, though our protagonist is a bit more non-descript than the rest of the cast. He does make sure that the readers understand his themes and metaphors before continuing on (which I appreciate), but it never weighs the story down.
This is one of those fun fast, mildly sexy, romances of finding yourself and maybe finding love again. Perfect read for a day at the beach...or on a cruise ship pool deck.
March 14, 2022
This was a great first experience with Stover and I finished this book really happy with how pleasant and enjoyable his narrative tone is. This being said, as readable and fun as this book is, plot reads rather patchy and like a well done first draft that needs to be reworked in places to make the pieces fit together. Particularly in the case of the Michael character, which is the PoV of this book, his whole arc needs to be drastically improved. The conflict of work vs pleasure is overworked, but I'm sure I can be convinced to like this story without getting bored. Sadly, Michael was not a great lead. Stover had a lot of sympathy for him and his shortcomings, but I fear none of this good will came across. He had some of the manic pixie dream girl-y blueprint of Sophie Kinsella's works, and much like her leads, it's always a work trying to retain sympathy and not irritation for these type of characters. Benton is more than about a great set of family jewels you want to inherit, tell us about that, perhaps.
May 27, 2023
I loved this book so much. It was such a fun, cozy read, and it definitely gave me the travel bug!
The sparks between Mike and Benton are undeniable. But I definitely get Mike's caution in his interactions with his ex. Lord knows I'd run full-speed in the opposite direction of spotting mine. So naturally, a progression of comedy of errors was bound to occur when the two are stuck on a cruise together in the Galapagos Islands.
Watching Mike realize the things that he wants from his life brought me so much joy. His sarcasm was lovely, and really endeared me to him from the get go. We all know how much I love my sarcastic, sassy characters.
While this book was short, it was oh so very sweet. I enjoyed every single moment. And now I can definitely add a cruising tour of the Galapagos to my travel bucket list.
The sparks between Mike and Benton are undeniable. But I definitely get Mike's caution in his interactions with his ex. Lord knows I'd run full-speed in the opposite direction of spotting mine. So naturally, a progression of comedy of errors was bound to occur when the two are stuck on a cruise together in the Galapagos Islands.
Watching Mike realize the things that he wants from his life brought me so much joy. His sarcasm was lovely, and really endeared me to him from the get go. We all know how much I love my sarcastic, sassy characters.
While this book was short, it was oh so very sweet. I enjoyed every single moment. And now I can definitely add a cruising tour of the Galapagos to my travel bucket list.
October 12, 2021
This was a great read. It's a short book so it's a quick read. I read it in a 24-hour. And it was well worth it. A story of rekindling love and passion and learning about yourself. A very sweet romantic book. I really enjoyed the narrator, Mike, and his journey of figuring out what he needs. My only complaint is at the story is very quick and I wish I could have gone to know the characters a little bit better. Some of the best parts of this book were the descriptions of the locations and the emotions connected to them, those were really beautifully done.
I also have always wanted to see a blue-footed booby.
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Spoiler!!!
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Also amazing twist on chapter 33 made me laugh out loud... It was really quite a cackle.
I also have always wanted to see a blue-footed booby.
.
.
.
Spoiler!!!
.
.
.
Also amazing twist on chapter 33 made me laugh out loud... It was really quite a cackle.
February 11, 2026
Cooper North carried this one. He's brilliant as always.
Which isn't exactly fair for me to say because this was a well-written (I think) novella, it's the perfect length for a palate cleanser after reading angsty books for daaaysssss.
I think this was kinda funny too but it's been a while and I can't really remember. I do remember liking the characters very much tho, despite the brief time we've shared together. I love stories like this where you're just here for the feels and the fun time.
One thing I still am salty about is how hard I was edged for Mike and Benton's makeup sex that we never get to see in the book. That was cruel.
Still, this was engaging, fun and quick. Sometimes, that's all a girl needs.
Which isn't exactly fair for me to say because this was a well-written (I think) novella, it's the perfect length for a palate cleanser after reading angsty books for daaaysssss.
I think this was kinda funny too but it's been a while and I can't really remember. I do remember liking the characters very much tho, despite the brief time we've shared together. I love stories like this where you're just here for the feels and the fun time.
One thing I still am salty about is how hard I was edged for Mike and Benton's makeup sex that we never get to see in the book. That was cruel.
Still, this was engaging, fun and quick. Sometimes, that's all a girl needs.
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